Chapter 179 : "I want Divorce."

"I want Divorce."

Samir and Faisal exchanged stunned glances. Even the air seemed to hold its breath. 

On the other hand, Ibrahim was mid-sentence with Faisal when Ava's voice cut through the air. His head snapped around, brown eyes narrowing as they drilled into hers. Gone was the anger that had fueled his tirade moments ago; this was a cold fury, a predator assessing a threat. Was she bluffing? Was this a desperate ploy to gain the upper hand?

"What did you just say?" He didn't ask, he growled, the low rumble in his voice sending shivers down Ava's spine. The sound was a primal warning, a lion's roar aimed at its mate, a challenge to back down before it was too late.

Ava flinched and stammered, her carefully crafted resolve momentarily shaken, "I... I said what you heard."

"Repeat that again," Ibrahim growled once more with a dangerous rumble. His fists, already clenched tight, contracted further. At that time he was like a man on the verge of a volcanic eruption, and Ava, the foolish fly who'd dared to dance too close to the flames.

Grabbing Ibrahim's arm in a tight grip, Faisal hissed, "Ibrahim, calm down! This won't be solved by yelling. At least one of you needs to think clearly here."

Ava opened her mouth to retort but she could speak, Samir intervened. "Sister-in-law, please," he began gently, "please, don't cause more trouble. Things are already tense enough." He gently but firmly grabbed her forearm, guiding her away from the volatile scene in the kitchen and led her to the nearest room, "You spoke rashly, Ava. Divorce is a serious decision, not a weapon to be wielded in the heat of the moment. Do you understand how much Ibrahim loves you? Ibrahim may have made mistakes, but his love for you… it's undeniable."

A humorless scoff escaped from Ava's lips. She sank into a chair, exhaustion finally settling in. A tear escaped, tracing a glistening path down her cheek. "Love? He never loved me. Don't you see? He just… pretended. Acted like a loving husband to keep me trapped, to control me. Is that love, Samir? Is manipulating someone's life, controlling their every move, a sign of love? Is that how someone who truly cares acts?"

She looked up at Samir, her eyes pleading for an answer he couldn't give. The truth, as always, was a tangled mess. Did Ibrahim love her? Samir loved his brother dearly, but even he couldn't deny the darkness that clouded Ibrahim's actions at times.

"I'll bring you something to eat," Samir murmured finally, unable to offer the solace she craved. "Try to get some rest. We'll deal with things when everyone's calmed down." He left the room, leaving Ava alone with the storm of emotions raging within her. Love and betrayal, anger and fear, all warred within her, a battle with no easy answers. As she stared out the window, another single tear escaped.

Samir re-entered the kitchen where he found Faisal locked in a heated argument with Ibrahim.

"How long are you going to keep this up?" Faisal demanded, "You've practically imprisoned Ava in here! Listen to me. Let's go back to KL. Let Ava stay with her brother for a while. Things can cool down, and maybe then…"

Ibrahim slammed his fist on the counter, the sound echoing through the tense kitchen. "No. I can't let her out of my sight, not for a second."

He wouldn't be dictated to. Ava was his, and he wouldn't allow anyone, not even his own brother or friend, to take her away from him. The thought of her being out there in the world, far from his control, sent a tremor of fear through him. He couldn't bear it.

Without another word, he stormed out of the kitchen. Moments later, the roar of the car engine filled the air as he sped away, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.

Samir sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "There he goes," he muttered, placing a plate laden with food on the table – egg sandwiches, fresh fruit salad, and a steaming cup of coffee. "Who knows where he'll end up now."

Faisal nodded glumly, "We're about to unearth some deep bones in this story, Samir. They're like parallel lines, convinced they can never meet. But deep down… Deep down, they're made for each other."

Samir sighed, "Ava thinks she can throw a word like 'divorce' around and Ibrahim will cave. "He won't. He'd rather…. He'd rather die than lose her. I know my brother better than anyone." 

"Where do you think he went?" Faisal asked. 

"No idea," Samir shrugged, "But one thing's for sure – Ibrahim's out there, driving like a madman somewhere on the open roads and God only knows what he's planning." 

He handed the tray to Faisal. "Ava's in my room. Take her some food. I'm not going in there. She's got a million questions, and right now, I don't have any answers."

Faisal raised an eyebrow at Samir. "You're sending me in there? Seriously?" 

Samir slumped into a chair at the counter and poured a glass of water, the ice clinking softly in the glass. "Who else? You know I can't handle her emotional storms right now, and if Ibrahim comes back and finds out she hasn't eaten a thing, we're both in hot water."

Faisal muttered under his breath, a string of colorful curses that would make a sailor blush. "These two brothers," he grumbled, "they've messed up my life more than they know." Then he headed towards Samir's room with the tray. 

Ava was still perched on the chair, lost in her thoughts. The door creaked open, and Faisal entered, his presence pulling her out of her reverie. He placed the stool in front of her gently and set down the tray with a soft thud.

"Eat something, Ava," he urged kindly.

Her gaze flickered towards the tray laden with food, then back up to Faisal's face, "What's the point? Starve me to death, solve everyone's problems." 

"No one's locked you in," Faisal shook his head firmly, "You're free to go anywhere in the house."

She scoffed, a sad smile twisting her lips, "Oh, how kind of y'all. The entire house? Wow...A whole house to roam. Such a generous prison y'all given me. By the way," she continued, her voice turning curious, "who exactly do you work for, Faisal?"

It was like she casually dropped a bomb. Faisal's surprise was evident, his eyes widening in disbelief, "What does that mean?"

"I asked a simple question," she said, "Agent Faisal." The last two words were barely a whisper, yet they carried the weight of revelation.

How? How could she possibly know? Ibrahim was completely oblivious to his double life. If this information reached Ibrahim or Samir, his carefully constructed cover would be blown. Years of meticulous work, gone in a flash. 

She stood up, "Don't deny it. Tell me, who are you really?"

Faisal cursed his luck silently. There was no point in denying it any longer. He darted a nervous glance towards the hallway. The door remained open, offering a glimpse of Samir scrolling through his phone on the kitchen counter. He turned back to Ava, "How… how did you know?"

Taking a deep breath, she recounted the details of the call. When she finished, Faisal could only sigh in defeat. "My tablet .....It has a setting… any number dialed redirects to a specific contact. MSIB. You can't contact anyone else through it."

MSIB, Malaysian Special Intelligence Branch, was an elite group tasked with protecting Malaysia's security from both internal and external threats. Fifteen years ago, they had sent Faisal on a delicate undercover mission.

His target? Ibrahim. Faisal had infiltrated Ibrahim's life, slowly building a bond of trust and friendship. Over the years, he had become Ibrahim's confidante. But beneath the facade of camaraderie, Faisal had another responsibility – to observe and report. Every conversation, every detail – Faisal documented and relayed it all back to MSIG.

It was a lonely existence, a life of double identities and hidden agendas. Faisal was a chameleon, blending seamlessly into Ibrahim's world, all the while serving his country. 

Ava raised an eyebrow. "So you've been betraying Ibrahim all this time?"

"Not betraying," he corrected gently. "Serving my country. It's bigger than any one person. There are things I can't explain, things you wouldn't understand."

Swallowing hard, she whispered, "What happens if I tell Ibrahim?"